Will AMD Counter NVIDIA's 2080 Ti Any Time Soon?
The question of whether AMD will develop GPUs to counter NVIDIA's 2080 Ti has been a topic of considerable interest. Based on AMD's current roadmap and market strategies, it seems there is a possibility that they will introduce at least two new models in the near future. One model would perform similarly to the 3070 but with double the VRAM and a similar price point. Another model would match the performance of the 3080, but with a lower price and double the VRAM. This response will delve into AMD's strategies and future plans to potentially challenge NVIDIA's dominance in the high-end GPU market.
Current AMD GPU Lineup and Future Plans
Currently, AMD offers the Radeon VII, which was anticipated to perform between the 2080 and 2080 Ti. The Radeon VII features DLSS-like capabilities developed by Microsoft and is capable of ray tracing. However, AMD is more focused on improving price-to-performance ratios rather than targeted direct competition in the high-end segment. The Radeon VII, priced at $700, is designed to offer a competitive alternative to the 2080 Ti in both performance and value.
Other upcoming AMD models include the rumored Navi series, which is expected to deliver around 1080 Ti performance. The Navi series is based on technology developed for the PlayStation 5, and it is rumored that Sony is absorbing some of the development costs. According to estimates, these GPUs could be priced around $350-$375, making them a viable alternative to the 2080 Ti. These models are likely to be cheaper in the future, as is the usual trend for newer products.
Historical Performance and Market Strategy
Historically, AMD has not always been able to compete directly with NVIDIA in the high-end GPU market. However, AMD has managed to offer products that are cheaper and sometimes faster. For instance, the Radeon R9 290, while still a capable 1080p card, never reached the sales volume of the NVIDIA 1060 despite being significantly more expensive in earlier years. This has been attributed to consumer loyalty and support for AMD's cards, which AMD continues until they are no longer practical for most users.
More recent examples, such as the RX 580 and 1060, have shown a similar trend. The RX 580 and 1060 have been trading blows in terms of performance, with the 1060 selling six times more, even though it costs around 20% more. This sales disparity is reflected in AMD's ongoing support for older models like the RX 570, which remains 5-20% faster than the GTX 1050 Ti and costs the same, often with three free AAA games included.
Future Prospects and Market Dynamics
Going forward, AMD's strategy appears to focus on delivering value through price-to-performance improvements rather than direct competition. Old heads in the industry argue that the current RX models are overpriced compared to the RX 580, which provides similar performance. However, the RX 590, based on process upgrades from GlobalFoundries, is seen as a more natural progression, with similar pricing to the RX 580. It is estimated that the RX 590 will drop to a similar price point when the RX 580 is phased out, offering a great option for gamers.
NVIDIA, on the other hand, is increasing prices for their RTX line, which has led to a decrease in demand for their mid-range cards. Many NVIDIA buyers now wish AMD would drop their prices, but this is unlikely to happen. The latest development is that NVIDIA is discarding high-end 1080 Ti cards to produce more profitable RTX 1070 and 1080 cards. This strategy may not work in the long run, as it has historically backfired for competitors when they failed to provide good value to loyal customers.
As AMD continues to develop new models, they are likely to offer a mix of newer and existing technologies, leveraging the Navi architecture and process improvements. The upcoming GPUs are expected to provide a competitive alternative to NVIDIA's offerings, especially in the mid-range and high-end segments. The future of AMD's GPUs in the desktop market will largely depend on their ability to balance performance and price, as well as their willingness to offer alternative solutions to loyal customers.